Engineering students take part in wave flume boat race at UNCW

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — In hopes to raise some funds for their conference, the Society of Women Engineers at UNCW partnered with engineering-101 students to put on a wave flume boat race. 

First year engineering students worked in teams to build boats with a limited number of supplies. They had about 30 minutes to build these cardboard boats before the race kicked off. Five boats were placed in the wave flume, the flume was kick started, and the boats were off to the races. Wren Usiatynski, the president of the Society of Women Engineers at UNCW talks about her hopes for the participants. 

“We are hoping that they learn some of the engineering design process, techniques, and some trial and error. Maybe how to overcome different challenges associated with low budget or different parameters like that,” Usiatynski said. 

The students dove right into this event and Usiatynski says she wanted to see what would come out of it. One main goal is for this to become an annual event.